Schooner captains Linda Gunn (FAREWELL) Steve Briggs (NORFOLK REBEL) and Nicholas Alley (VIRGINIA) at last year’s Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race Pig and Oyster Roast Awards Ceremony. Nicholas won the Mayor’s Cup with VIRGINIA in Gloucester in 2007 and in this photo had just collected his Gorton’s hat. He is now in BRILLIANT and has space for passengers this year coming and going between Mystic and Gloucester.

Captains Matt Sutphin (TYRONE) and Ted Romanowski (GOOD FORTUNE) at an early breakfast at the Fort Square. We were scoping out places to berth 60 ft TYRONE during the Schooner Festival. Matt has passenger spaces coming and going to Gloucester and also for these events.

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OK…maybe it’s just me, but I’m overwhelmed by the amount of technology that’s at my finger tips with this ‘smart phone’. The Harbor Walk talking post have lead me into the world of bar code scanning. These talkingpost have a wealth of information for both tourist and residents alike. You will have to down load a barcode app to read the funny looking ‘thing a ma jig’ bar code on the sign. You will see a menu of great info. I still haven’t been able to get the audio but I’ll figure that out or one of our FOB’s will be kind enough to let me know what this dummy is doing wrong with his ‘smart phone’. Please don’t tell Joey about this post…he laughs at my tech savy enough already!!

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John Hays Hammond, Jr. built his medieval-style castle between the years 1926
and 1929 to serve both as his home and as a backdrop for his collection of
Roman, medieval, and Renaissance artifacts. The castle was constructed as a
wedding present for his wife Irene Fenton Hammond to prove how much he cared for
her. In addition, the building housed the Hammond Research Corporation, from
which Dr. Hammond produced over 400 patents and the ideas for over 800
inventions. Second only to Thomas Alva Edison in number of patents, John
Hammond was one of America’s premier inventors. His most important work was the
development of remote control via radio waves, which earned him the title, “The
Father of Remote Control.”

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Honoring our past while embracing our future — through stories. Most of us think we know the past. Old stories. History classes. But if we really want to honor our past, we must feel it, not just memorize it.

The Harbor Walk helps us feel by getting us to participate in the experience of bringing the past to life using bleeding-edge technology. Watch this “Walking Cinema” video (designed to be played on your smart-phone while you walk) for just one example of why today’s Times Editorial says, “Through the new HarborWalk, the city has taken story-telling to an entirely new level …”

Ann Marie, of the Bandit Kings (certainly part of Gloucester’s promising future) literally walks us into the past through old postcards woven with imaginative narration over current video of Gloucester Harbor so we can feel Howard Blackburn’s journey.

Why should we honor the past? There are more reasons than you’d want to read in this post, so I’ll keep it to one: It’s us. It’s where we’ve come from. The past touches the core of our being. Honoring the past honors ourselves, which is necessarily the first step in helping anyone else, or trying to make the world a better place.

Why should we embrace the future? (You can see this coming, right?) It’s where we’re going — whether we like it or not. It’s our destiny.

The Harbor Walk doesn’t just embrace the future with new technologies and gadgets. It also does it through native flower gardens that bloom spectacularly — right now, this fall, next year and every year; and through state-of-the-art recycled materials and lighting mixed with ancient granite posts.

Most of all, the Harbor Walk embraces our future by bringing people to the waterfront — Old, young and yet to be born. People will feel our past through these stories that fill us with the essence of Gloucester so each one of us can embrace our future grounded in our Gloucesterness and prepared for what ever comes our way.

These schedules highlight a few official Harbor Walk activities, plus dozens of others (under the heading Step Out into Gloucester) that were going on anyhow and are proof that Gloucester’s rich cultural heritage is alive today and will be carried into the future.

David Cutler, Rockport’s acoustic music impresario (yes, I used that word), has been putting together this event for 33 years! While it’s usually held in Rockport’s beautiful Millbrook Meadow, this year the event is being held at the Rockport Legion Band’s bandstand on Back Beach. This is a great time to hang out in lovely Rockport and hear some good local music while enjoying food from Claire Franklin of New Year’s Rockport Eve. For more on that, read on. And click HERE to head over to the Rockport Acoustic Music Festival to discover the lineup and other information.

Here’s a letter from Claire, who is coming off of a really tough year and is looking for volunteers for the weekend. Claire puts on a huge event, Rockport New Year’s Eve, every single year (this weekend’s food tent sales serve as a fundraiser for the New Year’s Eve event). It is a major effort and everyone loves this event, so if you can help her out that would be great. We’re going to be in Maine this weekend and will miss all the action, but I wish I could be there alongside Claire. Everyone at the Acoustic Music Festival is in happy mood, listening to music while eating Claire’s hot dogs, hamburgers and more, so working in the food booth is a great way to be part of the event. You can contact Claire at her email address: claire.nyre@comcast.net to sign up for a volunteer slot or contribute in some other way.

From Claire:

Hello Everyone,

As most of you know, I lost my husband to lung cancer last January right after New Year’s Eve. It has been a long road back to once again try to do the things I always have done in the past without him along side me. Starting with this coming weekend’s Rockport’s 33rd Annual Rockport Acoustic Music Festival. Each summer New Year’s Rockport Eve supplies the Food Tent for the festival. We are again this year!

New Year’s Rockport Eve is looking for volunteers to help serve & cook on Sunday, August 12th from noon to 6pm. Also, I would love a few helpers to set up from 10am – 12 noon and clean up from 6 – 7 pm. This event has moved from Millbrook Meadow to the Legion at Back Beach this year.

Every fundraiser that I put on throughout the year requires that I beg people to help me. I love putting on the New Year’s Eve program for the town of Rockport, but the begging for help is getting a bit harder. Please come forward to volunteer to benefit such a wonderful event that I would love to continue year after year. It takes about $34,000.00 to put on this event and button sales does not support this. Fund raising is a must! If you can just do one hour, I will take it or two or three. Just answer this email and volunteer and please pass this on to everyone on your email list.

I am always looking for Baked goods to sell, also. Brownies, cookies etc. that can be bagged and sold for 50 cents.

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It’s funny because every time some newspaper of magazine interviews me for a piece on GMG they ask about the daily viewership and I tell them, then the magazine comes out a month or two later and the average views jump even higher. We’re a freight train baby!

In the North Shore Art Throb piece on GMG when Lou Mandarini asked me what we were doing for numbers I told him- 28,000 to 48,000 a day and that was just a month and a half ago. If he asked me today I would say 38-56,000 a day. #Boom!

An old timer calls me on the phone yesterday and tells me that I really ought to watch the language I use on GMG because it would be a shame to see us lose all the great things that we’ve built up here. I’ll take it all under advisement buddy.

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My name is Bradford and I am a handsome three-year-old male cat with a orange-and-white coat.

I am checking to see if there might be someone out there on Cape Ann who would like to adopt me. Please visit me at the Cape Ann Animal Aid now located at the Christopher Cutler Rich Animal Shelter, Four Paws Lane, Gloucester. Check our website if you are interested in becoming a member, volunteer or would like to adopt me, please visit: CapeAnnAnimalAid.com

Summer’s best party starts at 6 pm Saturday August 18 on Main Street in Gloucester and it’s free!

Main Street is transformed into a strolling mall featuring al fresco dining; shopping until 11 pm; a Kids’ Town and multi-performances at five outdoor stages. Diverse bands, dance troupes and jugglers perform!

Center Stage the Block Party presents Berklee Jazz and Roots in Gloucester. The Berklee School of Music conducts master classes in Gloucester public schools and donates a music scholarship to a talented local student. Enjoy this excellent jazz and reggae group at 8 pm at the Sovereign Stage.

Shows and dining from 6 pm, Saturday evening. Bring a chair if you like and plan to dance in the street. The third jubilant Block Party will be held September 15.

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Hello Joey, My name is Talia DeWolfe, I am 12 years old and I am the founder of ‘Save a Star’ breast cancer walk affiliated with Susan G. Komen. This is my second year organizing the walk at Stage Fort Park. This year it will be on Sunday, September 23rd and my goal is to raise $5,000 for the local Susan G. Komen chapter. Last year I raised $2,500 from walkers and donations. I named it ‘Save Star’ because I believe when we pass we become stars and I would like to help women fighting breast cancer from becoming a star. The money not only goes to research but it goes to local women that are in financial need because of this disease. I attached my flyer that people are allowed to print and pass out to whoever they would like. I also have registration forms for the walk for anyone that is interested. They can email me at Saveastar@live.comMy mom said I should email you because you post positive events everyday on Good Morning Gloucester. I was hoping you could help me spread the word about my walk this year. Thank you, Talia DeWolfe

On the next Cape Ann Profiles show host Rich Sagall interviews Cape Ann TV resident and author Ron Gilson. They discuss what it was like to grow up on the docks during the 50s, the hsitory of Gloucester as a fishing center and the future of the city. His book, An Island No More, is a popular memoir of Gloucester. Cape Ann Profiles can be seen on Cape Ann TV Channel 12 on Friday, August 10 at 10:30AM and 7:00PM and on Sunday, August 12 at 2:00PM. It repeats on Friday, August 17 at 10:30AM and 7:00PM and on Sunday, August 19 at 2:00PM. Rich Sagall is a physician and the president of NeedyMeds, a national non-profit that provides information on programs that help people unable to afford their health care costs. He also publishes Pediatrics for Parents, a children’s health newsletter.

Essex Wet Paint Day and Auction Tickets Available Now! Saturday, August 18 (Raindate August 19) Paint from 9 am to 3pm in Essex Silent/Live Auction 5 pm to 9pm at Cox Reservation, Rte 133, Essex Tickets $10 per participating artist $25 per person Tickets may be purchased by several Essex Merchants including Main Street Antiques, The Antiquarian, Alexander Westerhoff’s, Bider’s Antiques, and Eventide Gallery Visit Essex to watch painters at work…look for the RED balloons! Hope to see you there for a fun night of music, friends and art!

Good Morning,

If there is time or any room, could GMG mention our wine tasting series on Thursdays from 5-7 beginning tomorrow, Aug. 9th?

We will share some cheese, wines and locally produced spreads. No cost associated, but must be 21 to attend. Peace out.

Gloucester Webcam

The GloucesterCast Podcast

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)

Free GMG Gloucester Sticker

As long as supplies last if any GMG folks want a bumper sticker but can't drop down the dock, just send a self addressed and stamped envelope longer then 7 and a half inches and I'll drop one in the mail for you.

Send the self addressed and stamped envelope to the dock at 95 East Main St Gloucester Ma 01930 care of Joey (put my name in big letters to make sure it gets to me)